Creating Time Off Accrual Schedules

Use the Time Off Accrual Schedules form to create or update a Time Off accrual schedule. Time Off accrual schedules track the usable hours of Time Off that employees accrue over the course of the year. The events trigger Time Off accrual, and the strict definition of "year," are defined on this form.

Note:  The Time Off accrual schedule indicates when employees accrue paid time off. The Time Off Plan indicates how much paid time off employees accrue.

To create a Time Off accrual schedule:

1. Click the Client menu.
2. From Client|Change, select Time Off Accrual Schedules. The Time Off Accrual Schedules form opens.
3. Complete the following:
Field Description
Schedule Code

Enter a unique Schedule Code for this accrual. For example, V for vacation, S for sick, or P for personal time. (Required.)

Note: For new Time Off Accrual Schedules, the Paid Absence option is enabled by default.
Description Enter an accrual description. (Required.)
Time Off Type Code

Enter the Time Off Type Code that restricts the number of accrual schedules that can be assigned to an employee. (Required.)

Paid absence benefits are typically provided on a yearly basis. The year-to-date period for tracking benefits is based on the anniversary of each employee’s hire date or some fiscal year basis. If you use anniversaries, the employee year ending dates will vary. If you use a fiscal year end basis, all employee accruals end on the same day.
Plan Year Based On

Select the Plan Year Based On that this accrual tracks. (Required.)

• Anniversary:
• Fiscal:
Last Day of Fiscal Year

If the Plan Year Based On is Fiscal, enter the Last Day of Fiscal Year when each fiscal year ends.

Note: The Accrual Frequency and On date fields work together to determine when an accrual occurs and through which date the accrual calculates.
Accrual Frequency

Select the accrual calculation that triggers during payroll processing. (Required.)

• Pay Period Accrual: Accruals calculate for employees with regular vouchers in the payroll. Calculations are from the last accrued through date through the end of the selected On date.
• Anniversary Month: Accruals calculate when the On date crosses an employee’s anniversary day, and the last accrued through date is before that day.
• Anniversary Year: Employees receive a lump-sum accrual for a paid time off benefit at the beginning of their anniversary year for benefits accrued through the end of the current year. This method triggers when the On date crosses over the employee’s anniversary day.
• End of Month: This method triggers when the pay period crosses into another month or ends on the last day of a month. Accruals calculate through the end of the month, or the employee’s anniversary day for the month, depending on the On date.
• End of Quarter: This method triggers when the pay period crosses into a new quarter. Quarters are based on either the year-end or employee’s anniversary date, depending on the On date.

Note: A warning message displays when you select End of Quarter, "Warning: Flat amount is the only Plan Calculation supported by End Of Quarter Accrual Frequency. The Plan Year Based On must also be Fiscal Year ending on 6/30." Click OK to continue.

• End of Year: Employees receive a lump-sum accrual for a paid time off benefit at the end of the fiscal year. When the end of the fiscal year corresponds to the end of the calendar year, the accrual triggers when the pay period crosses into the new year or the period end date is the same as the end of the calendar year. Otherwise, the accrual triggers when the period end date crosses the year end date in the current year.
• First of Year: Employees receive a lump-sum accrual at the beginning of the fiscal year. The First of Year accrual frequency works exactly the same as the End of Year accrual frequency, except that the accrual level is based on the employee’s seniority level as of January 1st of the next year (instead of December 31st of the current year).
• First of Following Month: This method triggers when the pay period includes the first day of a month. Accruals calculate for the previous month.
• First of Current Month: This method triggers when the pay period includes the first day of a month. Accruals calculate for the current month.
• First of Quarter: This method triggers when the pay period includes the first day of a new quarter for employees enrolled in a Time Off Plan that has a calculation basis of Flat Amount and who are enrolled in a Time Off accrual schedule with the First of Quarter accrual frequency and the Pay Date accrual frequency date. For example, if the first pay date in Q4 occurs on 10/7/2024, Time Off accrual occurs during that payroll. (Quarters are typically calendar quarters: Q1 = January - March, Q2 = April - June, Q3 = July - September, and Q4 = October - December.)

Note the following:

• A warning message displays when you select First of Quarter, "Warning: Flat amount is the only Time Off Plan Calculation basis supported for First Of Quarter Accrual Frequency." Click OK to continue.
• You can only select Pay Date as the On date if you select First of Quarter.
• Holiday: Use the Scheduled Holidays panel to select one or more holidays when hours accrue. For more information, see Scheduling Holidays.
• Prior Year Accrual: This method triggers the balance accrual to move the accrued Time Off hours from the accrual plan to the balance plan. The system initializes the On date when the pay period crosses over into the year’s end. The plan is triggered at year end from the accrual plan to the balance plan, which could be an anniversary date or a fiscal date, and uses the option set in the Year-End Basis field. (Either way, the transfer of hours happens during the pay period in which that year-end date occurs.)
• Custom Basic Routine: Select this method when the client’s accrual methodology is unique and requires a custom routine to implement it. For more information, see Using Customized Accrual Subroutines.
• Scheduled: Use the Scheduled Triggers panel to define certain intervals (in months) that trigger accruals. For more information, see Defining Intervals That Trigger an Accrual.

Note: This option is available only when you set the Plan Year Based On to Anniversary.
On

Select the date type through which the accrual calculation is triggered. The options vary based on the selected Accrual Frequency.

Print on Pay Stub

Select if balances for this accrual schedule should print on employees’ payroll check stubs.

Description for Pay Stub

Enter a name to describe the Time Off accrual schedule. This will appear on each employee’s payroll check stub and certain reports.

Inactive Register

Select if this accrual schedule is no longer used. The system will not calculate accruals or update existing employee accruals.

Paid Absence

Select to indicate that this Time Off accrual is for tracking paid absences. (This option is for informational purposes only.)

Auto-enroll Thru Date is Day Before Start Date

Select to force the accrued through date to be the day before the start date when auto-enrolling employees in plans for this accrual schedule. This can help to ensure that auto-enrolled employees do not lose accrual for that day.

Payroll Warning if More Hours Used Than Available

Select to display a warning during payroll initialization if an employee uses more hours than currently available.
4. Click Save.

Scheduling Holidays

This setting displays if you set the accrual schedule Accrual Frequency to Holiday (see above). Use the Scheduled Holidays panel to ensure that the Time Off accrual accrues holiday-based Time Off at the appropriate time (determined by a "look ahead" period).

To schedule a holiday:

1. Click the Client menu.
2. From Client|Change, select Time Off Accrual Schedules.
3. In Accrual Frequency, select Holiday. The Scheduled Holidays panel displays.

4. Complete the following:

Field

Description

Look Ahead Days

Enter the number of days to look ahead for holiday-based accrual. This acts as an offset. For example, if the pay period start and end dates are June 1 and June 15, and the Look Ahead Days is 7, the system checks for holidays between June 8 and June 22.

Holiday

Click Holiday and select one or more holidays from the list, then click Accept. The Holiday Name displays.
5. Click Save.

Defining Intervals That Trigger an Accrual

To define intervals (in months) that trigger an accrual, use the Scheduled Triggers panel.

To define an interval:

1. Click the Client menu.
2. From Client|Change, select Time Off Accrual Schedules.
3. In Plan Year Based On, select Anniversary. In Accrual Frequency, select Scheduled. The Scheduled Triggers panel displays.

4. Complete the following:

Field

Description

Starting Monthly Intervals

Enter the number of months during an employee’s first year of employment when paid time off hours accrue. The last interval in the list should be 12.

Subsequent Interval (In Months)

Define the regular interval (in months) when hours accrue after an employee’s first year.
5. Click Save.

Using Customized Accrual Subroutines

If the client uses an accrual method that differs from methods previously described, use a customized accrual subroutine.

Note:  Contact a systems professional to design a subroutine using the parameters described here.

To design a subroutine:

1. Click the Client menu.
2. From Client|Change, select Time Off Accrual Schedules.
3. In Accrual Frequency, select Custom Basic Routine. The Custom Basic Subroutines panel displays.

4. In Trigger Subroutine, enter a custom accrual frequency subroutine to determine whether hours should accrue for each employee. The format is:

SUBROUTINE

SUBR.NAME(ABSENCE.REGISTER.REC,EMPLOYEE.SSN,ACCRUAL.TRIGGERED)
The variable ACCRUAL.TRIGGERED should return either a 0 (zero) or 1 (one). If the value returned is 1, the system calculates an accrual.
5. In Calculation Subroutine, enter a customized subroutine to replace the standard daily accrual calculation. The subroutine must have the following parameter list:

SUBROUTINE

SUBR.NAME(COMPANY.NO,EMP.SSN,REG.TYPE,ABSENCE.REGISTER.REC,

BENEFIT.PLAN.REC,VOUCHER.REC,HOURS.ACCRUED)

The hours accrued should be returned in the variable HOURS.ACCRUED. The calling program does not accept the return of a negative number. If the system returns a negative number, it is set to zero instead. Do not return a number with an embedded decimal point because it will be truncated.
6. Click Save.